"It's a very emotional day for me," said Aussie Ark president Tim Faulkner.

"Returning native species to an area they once roamed is an important part of what Aussie Ark stands for."

The 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary includes a wilderness of open forests and grassland, fenced to keep out predators, weeds and disease.

With the threats removed, native species get the chance to survive and thrive in a more natural environment.

Aussie Ark drew international attention last summer when Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio pledged $1 million through the US-based organisation Global Wildlife Conservation, following the devastating bushfires in Australia.

In battling Australia's extinction crisis, Aussie Ark provides sanctuary for threatened species such as the Tasmanian devil, eastern quoll, long-nosed potoroo and brush-tailed rock wallaby.